The Tower of History in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is a striking example of late-1960s Brutalism. Completed in 1968 and originally known as the Tower of Missionaries, the 64-meter-high structure was commissioned by St. Mary’s Catholic Church as part of an ambitious but never completed shrine complex. The tower’s design consists of three vertical, trapezoidal concrete shafts supporting five cantilevered observation platforms, whose bold geometric forms and raw concrete surfaces express the era’s sculptural approach to architecture. Conceived to function as the bell tower for a new church and community center, it was also meant to house a museum dedicated to 17th- and 18th-century Catholic missionaries. While the larger project was abandoned, the tower remains in use, now hosting museum exhibits on local history, Native American heritage, and the region’s early missionaries. Visitors can reach the platforms—offering sweeping 360° views over the Soo Locks, St. Mary’s River, Lake Superior, and both U.S. and Canadian shorelines—via a 45-second express elevator ride.

In use (last updated on August 13, 2025).